25 September 2012

I would like to explain what the proposition for Fire District No. 2 on Nov. 6 is about.

We are attempting to "rededicate" the tax call (verbiage used in a proposition) so we can legally run medical calls.

According to an Attorney General's opinion (in real simple terminology), a Fire District cannot take funds dedicated for one thing (fire suppression, education, prevention etc.) and use them for something else (medical calls).

Fire District No. 2 has been in existence since 1953.

Every 10 years or so since, voters have elected for us to continue serving them, however the wording on the tax call has not changed to reflect the changing environment associated with the fire service.

In 1953, medical calls were not synonymous with fire departments as they are today.

We are attempting to provide the service of first responder medical response but must change the antiquated verbiage so we can legally do so.

We are not asking for any additional funding, we are very simply attempting to change the wording so we can lawfully provide this much needed service.

This is not a renewal but a "rededication" so if it were to fail, we would continue providing fire protection as we have since 1953.

As public servants, we are dedicated to helping the residents of the communities we respond to.

We feel this is a "win, win" for these residents and are excited about the possibility of this additional service.

If you would like more information or would like to discuss this with me in greater detail, I would love to.

Very few times does one get to vote on something that could benefit its community so greatly without having to pay additional tax monies.

wst... note: chief mccain responded to our question as to whether or not this tax is an "in perpetuity" tax, this way: "No, will still come up every 10 years. It was just passed in 2010 so it will come back up in about 8 more years."

24 September 2012

on 22 september 2012, the 2012 ashley morris award was awarded to local blog cenlamar.com.accepting on its behalf, its creator and publisher, lamar white, jr.; in his prepared remarks mr. white said the principals that guide his blogging and advocacy are:

to write fearlessly, this allows you to become vulnerable the thought of which at first is unsettling, actually becomes empowering; be human - when wrong dont be afraid to apologize; be exhaustive, do your homework - people will take notice.

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the ashley morris award is named for the late dr. ashley morris who was a passionate new orleans blogger, activist and thinker a minority for sure; yet one, whose irateness, tirelessness and keenness at setting brush fires in people's minds, on behalf of new orleans with his blog ashleymorris.typepad.com earned him a lot of respect in the blogosphere and elsewhere.professor morris passed away in april 2008. he was 44 years old.

19 September 2012

in june we posted about the state supremes reversing the third circuit in a case involving local pawn czar and teevee celebrity jimmy deramus. note: the internet movie database and the court pleading spell mr. deramus name differently.

today the third circuit got around to releasing an updated and unpublished opinion.

On original hearing, this court reversed Defendant’s conviction and sentence, finding insufficient evidence to support the conviction. See State v. Woods, 11-799 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2/1/12), 84 So.3d 773.

The Louisiana Supreme Court disagreed. In State v. Woods, 12-505 (La. 6/29/12), 91 So.3d 289, the court vacated our prior decision, reinstated Defendant’s conviction and sentence, and remanded for consideration of the remaining assignments of error which were pretermitted on original appeal.

12 September 2012

"mr. christopher stevens, was the ambassador, who was killed, was a friend of the arab world. he was a friend of islam -- indeed he was a muslim himself. he followed the spiritual islam, he was a sofi. he was a spokesman for democracy in the arab world in the state department. we really have lost a great friend of ours" libyan democratic party spokesman, sabri malek, on press tv's "news analysis" program this afternoon around 1:41 pm cdt.

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we have a tweet at the state department asking them to confirm or deny this news. if sec'y clinton replies we will post it here.

11 September 2012

north tower 11 september 2001an unidentified woman is seen standing in the hole created minutes earlier by the engine of flight 11.UPDATE: this person was identified as edna cintron, an administrative assistant, marsh & mclennansee patriots question 911 - cintron====wtc building 7 inexplicably collapses into its footprint around 5:20 pm edt, tuesday evening 11 sept 2001====screen grabs from: painful deceptions: the video supplement to the book painful questions: an analysis of the september 11th attacks

Due to the numerous metal thefts in the area, the deputy positioned himself to observe the vehicle to see if there was any activity around it.

While the deputy was turning around, the suspect vehicle was leaving the area just down from U Auto U Pull It and a traffic stop was conducted.

Contact was made with the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Jamor Coutee and after talking to him, he changed his story as to why he was in the area a few times.. Upon further investigation, Coutee gave deputies consent to search the vehicle where several items from the wrecking yard were located in the trunk.

As the search began, another subject came running up to the scene stating Coutee had called him to come and help with his vehicle. The subject, later identified as

D' Morris Marbs, stated he had ran from Debbie St off of Old Boyce Rd but while looking at the subject, the deputy noticed that his pants and boots were covered in mud consistent with the mud on the U Auto U Pull It lot.

After further investigation, Marbs stated he did not steal anything from the business, but he did attempt to gain access to the property.

Deputies made contact with the business owner and together they surveyed the area and located where a barbed wire fence had been cut and someone had gained entry into the wrecking yard.

Deputies also located foot prints into the yard leading from where the barb wire fence had been cut.

At this time, both subjects were placed under arrest and transported to the Rapides Parish Detention Center.

10 September 2012

earlier this morning when we checked our rss reader we learned, that, overnight, authentic alexandria, louisiana lost one of its venerable grand dames: the thompson-hargis mansion. it was "destroyed by a major fire."

this was the scene at the mansion this morning around 10:45 am. investigators from the alexandria fire department were there.

no one from the fire department was out front to ask questions to and we wouldnt enter onto the private property -- so for an update you'll probably have to check back at cenlamar.com and/or one of the other local blogs or with the corporate media.

04 September 2012

the vague petition of james p. bates states that on the afternoon of saturday 25 august 2012 he was attacked by members of the pineville, louisiana police department who used excessive force and that the attack and the injuries he suffers because of it are due solely due to the negligence of the city of pineville and its police department.